Have an Ego, Do Your Homework, and Dress for the Room
Book: How to Get Rich
Author: Donald J. Trump (with Meredith McIver)
ISBN: 1-58836-410-0
Previous: Previous: Details, Altitude, and Positive Thinking
Next: Next: Money, Prenups, and Teaching Kids the Value of a Dollar
This stretch of the book is where Trump stops talking about deals and gets into how you carry yourself. Ego. Critics. Homework. Reading habits. Clothes. It sounds like self-help, but he ties it back to business survival.
Have an ego (but keep it balanced)
Trump admits this rule is easy for him. His point still holds. A healthy ego gives you purpose. Too little means no life force. Too much makes you a dictator. Balance matters.
He also uses ego as a tool. Say “yeah, whatever you say” to someone playing God and you deflate them without a fight. Sometimes the smart move is working behind the scenes, not confronting a tyrant head-on.
Keep critics in perspective
You will get criticized. Trump’s filter:
- Consider the source. Should this opinion matter?
- If yes, ask whether anything useful is in it.
- Critics serve a purpose. He name-checks Simon Cowell as harsh but fair. Cowell later praised The Apprentice.
- Most opinions are worthless.
- If people are reading criticism of you in print, you matter. Noise can be proof of significance.
Homework is required
Success is not a straight shot to the top. Glenn Gould looked like an overnight star in 1955. He had practiced piano for close to twenty years.
Every field has a bottom line. In business, it is understanding the process. Trump’s father drilled homework into him. Know what you are getting into.
He compares building a skyscraper to surgery. Bad work can get people killed. That is why he is tough on contractors and on himself.
Use the pyramid image. Solid foundation first. You cannot rush foundation work any more than you can will yourself into playing like Gould. Do your own research. Do not expect others to hand you their homework.
Listen to the ping-pong game
Trump listens carefully because most “information” is just opinion.
He tells a story about a Hong Kong woman in emerging markets who predicted moves like listening to ping-pong. As a kid she heard her brothers play for hours. She learned outcomes from the sound of the ball alone. She applied that tuned-in awareness to global markets.
Never underestimate awareness. Know what is going on. Read. Stay current. And do not compare yourself to other people’s highlight reels.
Reflect for three hours a day
Trump needs about three hours of quiet daily for reading and reflection. Up around 5 a.m. with newspapers and magazines. At night, biographies and sometimes philosophers like Socrates. Think for yourself even if it does not make you popular.
He credits Oprah for getting America reading again. Reading refills him.
Dress for your culture
Trump used to buy cheap suits. He learned quality shoes and suits last and look the part. He now buys Brioni.
Dressing well means reading the room. Beverly Hills style might fail on Wall Street. A three-piece suit on casual Friday creates friction.
You do not have to be a “typical” anything. But wrong culture, wrong clothes. Trump dresses conservative for business. Clothes can be a costume. Tasteful is tasteful.
My take
Less flashy than the deal stories, maybe more useful. Ego, homework, reading, and dressing right are boring until you skip them and pay the price. The ping-pong story sticks. Awareness beats guessing.